Fire-escape.



IIIIIIIII .III'III'IIIIIIIIIIIIII J. M. CHESNUT.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1915.

' Patented Mar. 7, 1916 JAMES M. CHESNUT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

?atented Mar. 7, 191%.

Application filed April '10, 1915. Serial No. 20,555.

Toiall whom it may concern:

Be it-known that 1, JAMES M. CHnsNU'r, a citizenof the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to :the accompanying drawings. I

Thisinvention-relates to an improved fire escape and more particularly todevices of that general character commonly known as frictional fire escapes, in which means is provided for frictional engagement upon a rope to effectthe descent of a person from a window.

The invention has for one of its more particular objects to provide a. device of the above character which may be employed either as a movable support upon which a person may descendthe relatively stationary rope or which can be arranged in a stationary position upon'the-window sill and operated'by a person within the room to permit the rope to move therethrou'g-h and lower a3 person suspended from the rope to the ground.

l he invention has for an additional objectto provide a frictional fire escape includingan improved mounting and construction of thebrake lever which permits the operator to easily and quickly control the frictional pressure upon the rope.

The-invention has for a further general obj 'ect' to improve and simplify the construe tion of such hand fire escapes and render the same strong, durable, and serviceable in practical use and capable of manufacture at minimum cost,

With the above and other objects in view, my'invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, andarrange ment of parts to be hereinafter more'fully described, claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating one application and use of my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar'view showing a different manner of using the device; Fig. 3 is an' enlarged longitudinal section, parts being broken away; Fig. d is a section taken on the line 4:4: of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail elevation" of' the brake lever.

Referring in detail to the drawing; 5 designates the body of my improved frictional fire escape which includes a cylindrica'l'shank portion (1 and an enlarged central rectangular body portion 7. This central portion of the device is formed with a lateral-projection whereby the horizontal shoulder'8 is produced at the inner end of the shank 6. The shank 6 is formed with a longitudinal bore, indicated at 9, and this bore, where it extends through the enlarged central portion 7 of the body, is gradually narrowedor contracted, as at 10, the walls of such portions of the bore being of convex form so that the bore section 10 will be of-relatively small diameter at the center thereof and gradually flare or increase in diameter toward the opposite ends of the intermediate body portion 7.

The shank extension 11, projecting from the opposite side of the medial body portion 7 ofth e device with respect to the cylindrical shank 6, is of'semi-cylindrical form and is provided at its extremity with a laterally projecting lug 12 having an opening 13 formed-therein. The body portion 7 of the device is recessed on one side of the bore sectionlO to accommodate the rectangular head 17 of the brake lever 16. This head is fulcrumed upon the pin 18 whi'chis fixed at its endsin the opposite sides of the body portion 7 of the device. 'The inner face of the head'17 is'formed with a longitudinally extending groove or channel 19 which also has an intermediate contracted portion 20 similar to the contracted section 10 of the bore-9, and in spaced relation thereto. The brakelever' 16 has its free end outwardly curved, as at 21;

Thelateral extension of the body 7 is cut out or recessed to provide spaced ears in whichthe ends of pins, indicated at 22, are secured. From these pins, the endless straps 28 are hung, and each of said straps is provided with an adjusting loop 24. By slid ing said loops upon the straps, the free ends is securely attached to a hook in the window sill of the building, or to a bedstead or other suitable object in the compartment, which will serve as an anchor therefor. The looped straps 23 are then engaged around the legs or one of these straps may constitute a seat and the other strap passed under the arms and around the shoulders. Aft-er the device has been attached to the body, the brake lever 16 is grasped in one hand and the other hand gripped upon the cylindrical shank 6. The person then lowers himself along the rope, the speed of descent being regulated and controlled by exerting a greater or less amount of pressure upon the brake lever 16. IV hen this lever is forced inwardly toward the shank 11, it will be apparent that the pressure exerted upon the rope will cause the contracted walls of the bore section 9 and of the groove 19 in the brake lever to frictionally engagewith the rope and thus check the gravity movement of the device with the person suspended thereto. In this manner, it will be n that a person may easily, quickly and safely lower himself from the window of a burning building witho t assistance. In Fig. 2, however, I have disclosed another manner of using my invention, but which requires the assistance of another person. In such use of the device, it will be noted that the shoulder S on the body thereof is engaged against the window sill. The rope R which is extended through the bore 9 and opening 13, is suitably looped at one end and secured around the body of the person to be lowered from the building. The other person in the room then grasps the shank 9 and brake lever-16 and place-s one foot in one of the looped straps 23 so as to retain the device in position upon the window sill. The person to whom the rope has been attached is then lowered from the window and the speed of travel of the rope through the bore 9 is regulated and controlled by the person in the room, simply by increasing or descreasing the hand pressure on the brake lever 16 in the manner above referred to.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that I have produced a simple, light and compact hand fire escape device which may be readily carried by the traveler in a valise or bag. from place to place. By means of the device, a person may rapidly descend, from great heights. to the ground without shock or jar. When flames are leaping up from the lower window of the building, the lower end of the rope may be carried by persons on the ground to a suitable point to escape the flames, and secured or anchored so that the person may descend safely without passing through the flames.

' The flange or collar 25 on the shank 9 effectually prevents slipping of the hand upon said shank so that a secure grip upon the same can be retained.

In carrying out my invention, the device may be constructed in various sizes, and of steel, cast iron, aluminum, or other metal. By the provision of the outwardly turned lower end 21,. the same forms a stop for the hand of the operator and prevents the same from slipping longitudinally and losing the grip upon the brake lever 16. lVhile I have referred to the preferable form and arrangementofthe several structural features of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all. such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is A fire escape device of the character described including a body having a lateral extension and further provided at one side thereof with a recess, a horizontal shoulder formed on said body, a cylindrical shank extending from one side of the body and constituting a hand grip, said shank and the body being longitudinally bored to receive a rope, a longitudinally disposed arm extending from the side of the body opposite the shank, said arm being semi-circular in cross section, a laterally disposed lug formed at the outer end of said arm, having an opening in alinement with the bore of the shank and body, thesection of the bore extending through the body being contracted in diameter, a brake lever provided with a head adapted to be disposed within the recess in the body and pivotally mounted therein. said brake lever having a longitudinal groove in the inner face provided with a contracted medial portion opposed to the contracted section of the bore in said body for binding frictional engagement upon the rope, said brake lever having an outwardly curved free end, and looped.

straps connected to the lateral projection of the body, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. OI-IE'SNUT.

Witnesses:

TI-ros. M. FARLAND, THOS. J. M. FARLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

